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11
www.mn.catholic.org.au | Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle |
JUSTICE
This is life now, in Fallujah; a once-thriving
town the size of Newcastle. Once alive
with growing families, bustling markets,
ornate mosques, sporting fields, schools,
industry and the famous 'best falafel' in
all Iraq.
Now the residents of this toxic, war-
ravaged, virtual ghost town are those
who simply can't afford to flee, or have
nowhere else to go.
The dramatic rise in birth deformities
in Fallujah began in 2005, a year after
intense US military attacks on the city
in 2004. It is alleged that uranium
weapons and white phosphorus were
used widely in the attacks and that the
toxic nature of these substances, and
their subsequent contamination of the
local eco-system, is the reason for the
rise in birth abnormalities, as well as
increased adult cancers and leukaemia.
This would seem a logical conclusion,
given the evidence we have on the impact
of uranium on human beings. But the US
military has denied there is a problem,
claiming there is no solid evidence
of a link between its use of chemical
weapons and the dramatic increase in
birth deformities in Fallujah. It claims
reports are anecdotal, that there are
no accurate figures or research. So it
refuses to respond, despite pleading from
doctors, Iraqi and international human
rights groups and medical NGOs around
the world.
At the same time, the military occupation
makes it almost impossible for
western researchers to go to Fallujah
to collect data. Despite this, one team,
led by UK scientist Prof Chris Busy,
did conduct major research, the results
of which are confronting and demand
a response. The research, published
last year in an international health
journal, concluded that the birth defects,
and other health problems in Fallujah
such as cancers and leukaemia, are
worse than in the survivors of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki following the use of atomic
bombs there.
Despite this shocking situation, this
story has barely made it on to the radar
of the Australian or US media. But I'm
sure you will agree it is a story that
needs to be widely told and demands
immediate action.
The babies of Fallujah deserve justice
and the women of Fallujah deserve
hope. It's my aim to tell the babies' story
from the point of view of the families
themselves, to produce a book, a
documentary and resources to contribute
to the world-wide campaign to ban
depleted uranium weapons so that this
can never happen again. But I'll need
some help; together we can ensure this
story is told and the campaign succeeds.
It's a story that touches the heart of each
of us and can awaken the conscience of
a world.
We need to spread awareness of the
issue, raise funds for the logistics of
the campaign and lobby the Australian
Government so that its vote at the United
Nations supports a ban on the use of
uranium weapons. We
now have an international
treaty banning cluster
munitions; we can
do the same for
uranium weapons.
For me this is personal.
I have intimate links with
uranium -- for example
my relationship with baby
Noura, a uranium-affected baby I met in
Baghdad in 2003. Noura was born with
no arms and legs. She is just a torso
and a head, but her smile and her energy
have a profound effect on me. Then there
was Arean, the girl from Basra whom I
met in Baghdad Children's Hospital. She
was dying of leukaemia because of the
use of uranium in the 1991 Gulf War.
My interaction with her was powerful
and sacred, something I will never forget.
My book, Ordinary Courage, is dedicated
to her memory because she helped me
realise that all we have to do is what
we can do. That will empower us when
faced with shocking situations like this
one. Telling this story
is keeping my promise
to Arean, a promise not
to be overwhelmed by
injustice, but rather to
act in whatever way I can.
I was present in Fallujah
in April 2004 when the
US attack was taking
place and was an eye-
witness to the massacre of civilians there.
And then there's my exposure to uranium
during my time in Iraq which has affected
my fertility options.
The story of the Fallujah women is my
story. Their babies are our babies.
Arean, a dying Iraqi girl, body riddled
with leukaemia, gave me hope the day
I met her because she taught me that
although I could not save her, I should
not cry for too long over what I cannot
do. She encouraged me to think of
what I can do...to think of who I am,
and what I can actually do to contribute
to change.
I am not a doctor, but I have a notepad
and camera. I am not a scientist but I
know the way to Fallujah, I can listen to
the people there, I can help give them a
voice. That's what I can do.
And that's just the start. With all of you,
we'll do much more than that.
For more information about the
Australian campaign to ban uranium
weapons, and Donna's trip see:
www.acbuw.wordpress.com
Her website is www.ordinarycourage.org,
you can join her email list by sending a
message to:
thepilgrim-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Donna is the guest speaker at the
annual Tenison Woods Education
Centre Dinner on 6 May. See page 21
for details.
"The babies of Fallujah
deserve justice and
the women of Fallujah
deserve hope. "
Donna working with street kids in Baghdad.